YuGiOh!: Duelist Kingdom
by NilesDaughter
Summary: The Millennium Bracelet, the eighth Item, is discovered by Tiana Briqueleur, who is joined with a mysterious spirit named Kurai. YamixOC, YugixOC, KaibaxOC.
1. Prologue: A Promising Future

Prologue: A Promising Future

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'.**

**Note: This is the edit and repost of my "YuGiOh!: Duelist Kingdom" story…As I gained a bit more information of what Yami/Atem did to seal away the Shadow Games, I realized that I had to alter what I originally had planned for my OC…Besides, I originally wanted my OC to remember everything about their ancient past, but under Ishizu's advice, she doesn't reveal any of it to Yami/Atem…So that's what I'm doing this time around…Enjoy this version (I personally like it better…)!**

My Pharaoh was dead, at least in a way. To erase one's name…That was a fate worse than death. It meant that one could not enter the Afterlife, and that they would always wander forever in darkness. It was a fate I would not wish upon anyone, least of all my beloved.

But he had insisted. He had been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save their people. He truly cared for the people of Egypt…And that's what I liked about him. _Had _liked about him.

I could have taken his place as ruler of our people, but I could not bring myself to do so. Instead, I allowed Atem's cousin, Seto, to ascend the throne. However, I would be acting Queen and aid him in the rebuilding of our kingdom.

I knelt at the edge of my favorite pool in the gardens, holding a lotus blossom, Atem's favorite flower, in my hand. I closed my eyes, smiling softly as I reminisced. I looked up when I heard footsteps approaching upon the dirt path. It was Mana, an old friend of mine and Atem's, and a sorceress-in-training.

"Yes?" I asked her.

"Isis wishes to speak with you," Mana said.

"Very well," I replied, and turned to go, but Mana stopped me.

"You miss him, don't you, Kebi?"

"Very much so, my friend. Just as you miss you Master."

I could hear her faint, yet sharp, intake of breath. Not only had we lost Atem, my Pharaoh, but other of the Guardians, as well, including Mahado, Mana's teacher and the most powerful sorcerer of his time. The Thief King and his demonic Soul Monster had caused much misery for us, for our people. But until my time came, I would ensure that they had not died in vain…

"Mana, would you accompany me?"

"Of course, Kebi." We went down the columned walkways, finally coming to Isis's room.

"You wished to see me, Isis?"

"Indeed I did, my Queen," she replied, turning to me. "I have seen the future."

"What has the Necklace shown you?"

"The Pharaoh is not quite dead. His soul is merely trapped within the Puzzle, which, as you know, shattered after the ritual was completed. I have foreseen that when it is reassembled, he shall be freed.

I felt hope flutter in my chest, like a trapped bird.

"When?"

"The time is unknown to me, as is the place. I believe it is far into the future."

The hope that had blossomed sank to the bottom of the Nile. "Then he is dead, for he shall not return in this lifetime."

"There is more, my Queen. I have foreseen that you, too, shall return again to aid the Pharaoh."

"But I did not—"

"It shall come to pass," Isis stated firmly.

"So it shall, but I do not understand how it can be so, when I have not performed the ritual."

"When the time comes, I will assist you in a different sort of ritual that will seal your soul into the Bracelet. Unlike the Pharaoh, you shall not lose your identity."

I nodded. "So let it be written, so let it be done."

* * *

Five millennia later, the present holder of the Millennium Necklace glanced at the candle on her nightstand, watching the flame flicker.

"The Queen has returned," Ishizu Ishtar said softly to herself.


	2. The Millennium Bracelet

Chapter One: The Millennium Bracelet

**Disclaimer: I own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'? Pfft. And Kaiba will abruptly revert to the kind person he was when he was a kid.**

"Sis! Grandma and Grandpa are coming home today!"

I sat up and sleepily rubbed my eyes.

"Hurry up!" my twin sister, Shawna, said.

"I'm hurrying!" I replied groggily. I grabbed some clothes from my closet and went to take a shower. I toweled my hair dry, and pulled on the red tunic top and black jeans I had grabbed.

"We're waiting on you, Tiana!" Dad called.

"I'm coming!" I called back.

We took Dad's Jeep, arriving at Grandpa and Grandma's house just as a taxi was pulling into the driveway. We helped carry their luggage into the house, and we all went to the living room.

Grandpa and Grandma had taken lots of pictures of Egypt: Giza, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Island Temple of Philae, Abu Simbel…All the places that were along the Nile that I wanted to go to myself.

"I wish you could have come with us, Tiana," Grandma said.

"I will, one of these days…" I replied wistfully.

"But in the meantime, we got this for you," Grandpa said, pulling out a fairly large drawstring bag.

"Thanks," I said, surprised at how heavy it felt.

I opened the bag, and pulled out what was inside it. It was a medium-sized, but heavy-looking, white wooden box. It was carved with colorfully-painted lotus designs where each side of the box met. The lid had sliding panels that depicted some sort of picture, and it was surrounded by gold-painted hieroglyphics that looked like an ancient spell.

"It's actually an artifact, but the man at the bazaar didn't seem to know what he had. However, he did explain that it order to open the box, you have to reassemble the picture on the lid," Grandma explained.

"So it's like a puzzle," I said.

"Precisely," Grandpa said, nodding.

"It's beautiful…I love it! Thank you!"

I looked at the box, and noticed that where a keyhole of sorts would be placed on a normal box, there was a rubbed-out cartouche.

"Grandpa, do you know why this cartouche is rubbed out?"

"That's odd…" he murmured.

"It's like they didn't want this person to be remembered, like with Hatshepsut," I said, more to myself than to anyone else.

"Do you know what it says?" Sis suddenly asked.

"I can try…Hieroglyphics aren't very easy to read, you know." I examined the box, and began to read.

"_Mistress of Magic and Power and Night_

_Whoever discovers the secrets within_

_Gains unimaginable Knowledge and Might._

_So unlock the Secrets if you can,_

_And bring forth that_

_Which has been lost in sand."_

_It sounds like an ancient prophecy or something…_I thought. I looked down at the box as my family praised me, and noticed more writing underneath the cartouche, which I read to myself.

_A gift to my beloved Queen, in celebration of the Opet Festival.

* * *

_

It was getting late, approaching 1 a.m., but I couldn't put down the puzzle box. _I _am _solving this tonight_, I told myself, fighting to stay awake.

It had been three months since I had received the puzzle box, since Grandpa and Grandma had told me about the Millennium Items. I still hadn't solved the puzzle on the lid, but I was determined to do so that night.

I slid another panel into place, and heard a slight click. "Yes!" I breathed.

After what seemed like eternity, but was really only a couple of hours, I revealed the image of a royal barge sailing down the Nile. I hesitantly lifted the lid, and was blinded by a bright golden light. I put my hand in front of my face, squinting. The light eventually subsided, and I peered into the now-open box.

The inside was lined with some sort of smooth fabric, possibly silk, and it emitted a sweet scent…Lotus blossoms and some sort of spice…

Nestled in the fabric was a gold band. The Millennium Bracelet that Grandpa and Grandma had mentioned.

I picked it up. It was more like the armbands that ancient Egyptians wore, but it was still beautiful. It was gold, and had a raised design of the eye of Udjat. I put it on my right upper arm, and found that it fit perfectly…As if it had been made for me…

I heard a rumbling noise, and it felt as if my entire room was going to collapse. I glanced around wildly, wondering what was going on. The Bracelet began to glow, and black-colored mist filled the room. When it cleared, I let out a tiny squeak of fear. Before me were life-sized versions of monsters from the Duel Monsters card game. They were menacing, leering…Warmth spread through me, and I looked down to see the Bracelet was glowing…

With a sigh, I opened my eyes, finally awakened and freed by this girl. I looked around to see that the Shadow Monsters were closing in. I touched my fingers to the Bracelet, feeling as if I were being reunited with an old friend. A smile touched my lips.

"Begone, Shadow Creatures! You are not wanted here!"

I blinked rapidly, wondering if I had been imagining things. My room was quiet and peaceful. The box was still open on my desk, and the Bracelet emitted warmth. Sighing, I closed the box and climbed into bed.


	3. Ishizu

Chapter Two: Ishizu

**Disclaimer: I don't 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'**

**A/N: Here's a quick little key for stuff that will appear in the text.**

normal=my POV

underlined=Kurai's POV

_italics=thoughts and memories_

"…"=dialogue

'…'=conversation between me and Kurai through mind link

**Now, on with the story!**

_It was wishful thinking that they would be able to defeat the winged demon. How could they stand up against him? He was made of dark magic, consumed by hatred. Was it even remotely possible that the Millennium Puzzle around his neck and the Millennium Bracelet upon her wrist could stop him?_

_She turned to him, the fear and despair clear in her eyes. _

"_My Pharaoh, do you think—?"_

"_We have to try, or we will surely lose. We cannot let that thing prevail. He will destroy Egypt. We are the only ones that can stop him."_

"_But what if we…fail?" It was hard to say that word: fail. They had overcome all sorts of obstacles, against unimaginable odds. To think, that of all the things they had faced together, this might be the one that would destroy them._

"_Do not think like that, my Queen. We must believe we can defeat him."_

"_But—"_

"_No. We have to try."

* * *

_

"Hello? Sis? Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?"

Sis rolled her eyes. "What movie do you want to go see today?"

"We're going to the movies?"

"Yeah, with Nathan. Remember?"

I racked my brain for some memory of making plans to go to the movies with my twin and our best friend, but nothing came up.

"Uh…"

"Come on! It was right after you told Jackie off for teasing Amber about her new sweater. How can you _not _remember that?" She started to laugh, probably thinking about Jackie's expression when I had, supposedly, told her off.

I laughed with her, but only for her sake. I didn't remember doing that…In fact, I had been having a lot of memory lapses in the few months since I had put on the Bracelet…It was weird, and a bit frightening.

"Well, maybe we can go see 'Sherlock Holmes'…I've been wanting to see that for a while…"

"'Sherlock Holmes', it is! Now, let's go!" She grabbed my arm and began to drag me to the front hall.

Our parents dropped us off at the movie theaters, and we waited for Nathan, watching our breath turn to mist in the January air. When he arrived, we got our tickets and went inside, getting a large popcorn to share. Afterwards, we went to a nearby McDonald's for lunch.

"Tiana? Tiana!"

"Huh? What?" I said, looking up from the French fry I had been staring at as I thought about the weird dream I had had with the Pharaoh and the Queen. I didn't even know their names…

"Don't worry, Nathan. She's been spacing out a lot lately."

I laughed. "Sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind lately."

"I'll let you off this once," Nathan said seriously, and I laughed. He smiled. "Anyway, Shawna and I were thinking about getting together next week so we can all play 'Kingdom Hearts'."

"Count me in!" I said.

* * *

_She raised her face to the sky, gazing up the stars. The gods had done well when they had created the night sky; it was beautiful. She looked to the distance, and saw Sirius. The Nile would flood soon. A breath of wind tickled her throat. _

_Someone gently wrapped their arms around her. She recognized the feel of those arms, their warmth. She recognized the heady and heavenly scent of the perfume the Prince was attracted to. _

_She turned her face, so that he could clearly see her profile._

"_Hello, stranger."_

_Laughter rumbled in his chest. "Hello, back." He kissed the top of her head._

"_It's beautiful," she said, nodding up at the night sky, the stars, the full moon._

"_As are you," he whispered in her ear._

_Heat crept up into her cheeks, and the blush deepened, because she knew he could see it in the bright moonlight. He laughed a second time, kissing her once again on the top of her head. Together, they gazed up at the heavens.

* * *

_

"How can you not remember that? It only happened, like, five minutes ago! You nearly scared the crap outta me, you know? Didn't you see how…tough that duelist looked? Why the heck would challenge him to a duel!" Sis shouted.

"I did, and let me tell you, I wasn't going to challenge him!" I replied angrily.

"But you did," Nathan said, leaning against the wall of the alley.

"No, I didn't…! Did I?"

They both nodded, incredulous expressions on their faces.

"But…how can I not remember that?"

Sis shrugged. "I don't know, but it's been happening to you a lot lately."

"Yeah, I know…It's scaring me, to tell you the truth."

"Well, we better go home, before Mom and Dad freak out." Sis headed towards the main street.

I looked back at Nathan. "Will you get home okay?"

He nodded. "I'll make sure not to run into any more duelists looking for trouble."

"And if you do, do you think your deck will be able to save you?"

He snorted. "Please. My Dragon deck always creams your Spellcasters."

I laughed. "Okay. See you around."

"Sis! Seriously!"

"Coming!"

* * *

I closed my eyes as the water rushed over me, rinsing off the soap. I ran my hands through my hair, bending my head back. I finished my shower and shut off the water, pulling open the shower curtain. I reached out and wrapped myself in the towel.

I crossed the hall to my bedroom. I froze in the doorway, though, overcome with a sudden vision.

* * *

_She was walking down a narrow dirt path hand-in-hand with the Prince. He was wearing peasants' clothing, not wanting to draw any attention to himself._

"_Are you sure Shimon won't get mad at us?" she asked anxiously, glancing over her shoulder again towards the palace walls, as if she half-expected a group of royal guards to be pursuing them. "You're the prince, so I'm sure he can't get mad at you, but I'm just a dancer." _

"_I'm not planning on having him find out. But if he does, I'll take all the blame. This _was_ my idea, after all," he said, grinning._

"_If you're sure…" _

"_Would I ever let anything happen to you?" he asked, stopping._

_She sighed. "Of course not. I know you'll always protect me. Always."

* * *

_

I would have fallen had I not been supporting myself with the doorframe. That time, it had been so tender, so…powerful.

"Sis, you okay?"

I turned to see Sis at the top of the stairs, staring at me with concern.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I said.

"Okay…" She sounded doubtful.

"Honestly," I told her, slipping into my room and closing the door behind me. I sighed, leaning my head back against the door. "What is wrong with me?" I said quietly.

I pulled on my striped pajama bottoms, and started thinking out loud.

"This all started when I put on the Bracelet…Since then, I keep getting dreams and visions about the Pharaoh and the Queen…And then I keep having blank spots in my memory…What is happening to me? Am I going insane or something?"

"No, you are not."

My parents weren't home, and that wasn't Sis's voice…I slowly turned around, and jumped back in surprise with a half-strangled squeak.

"It's all right."

I stared at the newcomer. She looked _exactly_ like me, but there were some subtle differences. She looked older, her eyes were narrower, her purple bangs were shaped like lightning bolts, and her skin was darker than mine by a few shades. There was a regal air about her, a sort of authority. But the really weird part was that…I could _see through her_.

"Who are you?"

"Sis?" The call was accompanied by a knock.

I jumped, and the girl disappeared. "Um, yeah?"

"Are you talking to yourself again?"

I laughed, but it sounded forced. "Yeah, I am."

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Sis opened the door, already dressed in her pajamas, and came to sit on my bed. "Sis, are you okay?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you haven't done it in front of Mom and Dad, but you're really worrying Nathan and me. I mean, with you spacing out all the time and with your memory lapses…Plus, there are times when you…you just don't act like yourself."

"Sorry," I said, not sure of what else to say.

She only nodded. "Well, we should get to bed. See you in the morning."

"'Night, Sis."

She turned back and smiled at me, but her eyes were still worried. "You, too."

I sighed once she left, and looked at where the girl had been standing before. She suddenly appeared again, but there seemed to be a look of intense concentration on her face.

"Who…who are you?" I managed to get out.

"I am the Queen from your dreams. In fact, those dreams of yours are actually my memories. You set my spirit free when you put on the Bracelet. Since I cannot exist on my own, you host my spirit."

My mind was reeling, but it wasn't too farfetched an idea. After all, the Egyptians were very big on magic, and seeing as I believed that magic existed, anyway…But, still, it was all too much.

"But, what about my memory lapses?" I asked.

"That would be the times I, uh, take over."

"But…why me?"

"You are the one that unlocked the secrets of the Bracelet. You are the one that can help me."

"Help you? How?"

"Everything will become clear in time."

"But—"

"You should rest, now."

"Wait…One more thing."

She grimaced. "Quickly. I cannot maintain this form for long."

"What's your name?"

"I don't remember my name…But you may call me Kurai." She faded away.

I passed a hand over my eyes, and climbed into bed.

* * *

Sis, Nathan, and I were at the Chapel Hills Mall, and we were busy explaining everything to Kurai. It was actually kind of amusing, seeing as she had almost no knowledge of the modern world.

We came out of Hot Topic, and Sis started walking off without waiting for me and Nathan.

"Where are you going?" Nathan asked.

"I'm hungry, so I'm going to McDonald's," she said over her shoulder.

Nathan and I exchanged an amused look, and hurried after her. After we spent some time eating and talking with each other, I felt Kurai stiffen.

'What is it?' I asked her.

'I sense the presence of another Item…'she said thoughtfully.

"Sis, what is it?" Sis asked.

"Kurai senses another Millennium Item."

'Turn around,' Kebi said, and I did so.

I saw a woman approaching our table, dressed in clothing not unlike ancient Egyptian clothing. She was proud and beautiful, with dark hair and slanted blue eyes. And around her neck was a piece of gold jewelry engraved with the Eye of Udjat—the Millennium Necklace.

Kurai gasped. 'Isis!'

The woman dipped her head respectively. "At last, my Queen, you have returned."

'May I?' Kurai asked, eager to take over.

'Sure,' I replied.

"I am glad that you have found me, Isis," I said, though I of course knew that this was only the Priestess's soul mirror, just as Tiana was mine.

"Your return has been long awaited by the Ishtar family, m'lady."

"Ah, yes, the Ishtars. A loyal family. But I assume that you have news for me, otherwise you would not have sought me out."

"Whoa, wait! Kurai, what's going on here?" Shawna asked, and I couldn't help but smile. The soul mirror of my sister Shoshan was just like her ancient counterpart.

"I am Ishizu Ishtar, a member of the Tomb Keeper family that guards the Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh and Queen."

"But why are you here?" Nathan asked.

"I must tell the Queen something," Ishizu replied. She turned to me. "The Pharaoh has also returned to this world. However, he is in Japan."

Despite the setback that Ishizu spoke of, my heart thumped unevenly. I would soon be reunited with my beloved. I had been awaiting this moment for five millennia…

"You shall go to Japan soon, but I must warn you. The Pharaoh remembers _nothing _from his past, not even you. And you cannot tell him anything of the past, for he must remember on his own. However, you need to guide him, and recover your name in the process."

I felt disappointment. My Pharaoh did not even remember me? Well, I suppose it was the will of the gods…"So let it be written, so let it be done."


	4. Moving

Chapter Three: Moving

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'.**

"Your father is being stationed in Domino City, Japan," Mom announced.

"Japan?" I asked, feeling Kurai squirm beside me.

"Domino City?" Sis repeated, her eyes widening.

Mom nodded. "You two will love it!"

* * *

"You two are so lucky. I'm jealous, because I'm being left behind," Nathan said with a fake pout as he sat down on a boulder.

Shawna and I laughed, and I picked my way down to where he sat to give him a hug.

"Kurai's excited," I commented, glancing at the spirit with an amused smile. She looked embarrassed.

"I'm finally going to be able to meet my boyfriend on a regular basis!" Shawna exclaimed, jumping onto a rock farther up the hill.

"It's amazing that you were able to keep a long-distance relationship for two years," I said. "Especially when you said he's an asshole."

"I said he's really sweet, and he can be an asshole _sometimes_," she defended.

I rolled my eyes.

"Be nice!" she called down.

"You know, you need to introduce me to him sometime."

"I will."

* * *

I yawned again and growled. "Damn jet lag."

Sis laughed. "We've been here a week, and you _still _haven't gotten adjusted to the time difference?"

I glared at her. "Shut up."

"Come on, we're supposed to be exploring the city before we go to school Monday."

"I'm coming. Maybe we should stop for a pick-me-up," I added, nodding to a coffee shop across the street.

"Okay."

"Hey, good afternoon. What can I get for you today?" The girl at the counter had dark hair with red bangs, and she looked vaguely Hispanic.

"Two white chocolate mochas," Sis said, having already glanced at the menu when we had walked in the door.

The girl smiled and began to work on the coffee. "So, did you just move here?"

"You can tell?" I asked, following Sis to a table near the counter.

"You've got American accents, but you don't look like tourists." She brought the coffee to our table and set it down. "I'm Amie, by the way."

"I'm Shawna, and this is my twin sister, Tiana."

"Well, it's nice to meet you two, but I gotta get back to work," Amie said, nodding to the woman that had just walked in. She turned to go, but looked back at us. "Hey, do you mind stopping back here around four? That's when I get off work. I could show you some of the sights around here."

"No problem," I said.

* * *

I looked up at the school, playing with the blue neck scarf I wore, feeling like it was going to choke me. Beside me, Sis was tugging at the edge of the blue pleated skirt.

"I hate having to wear this uniform," she hissed.

I only nodded, feeling too nervous to speak. I tightened my hold on my bookbag. I could do this…maybe.

Sis and I were in Class 1-B together, so that was a relief. We stood at the front of the class as the students came into the room. The teacher called for their attention, and introduced us.

"Good morning, class. I trust you had a pleasant weekend?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now, we have two new students joining us today. Tiana and Shawna Briqueleur. They have moved here from the U.S. I want you all to make them feel welcome." She turned to us. "Now, let's get you each a desk…"

* * *

It didn't seem long before it was lunch period. Sis and I got our lunch bags and found a shady spot beneath a tree on the far side of the school campus. I sat down, tucking my legs underneath me, and started eating. Sis climbed into the lowermost branches of the tree, her legs dangling down.

"Comfortable?" I asked her.

"Yep." She grinned.

"Hey. You're our new students, right? Tiana and Shawna Briqueleur?" a voice asked. The Brooklyn accent surprised me, and Sis and I looked over to see two guys wearing the blue boys' uniform. One had dirty blond hair, and the other had dark brown hair that stuck out in front. They were both from our class.

"Hello?" the blond asked. This was the one with the Brooklyn accent.

"Uh, yeah," I said slowly, blinking. "And you are…?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry." The blond laughed, running his hand through his hair. The brown-haired guy rolled his eyes. "The name's Joey Wheeler, and this here's my friend Tristan Taylor.

Tristan raised his hand in greeting. "Hey!"

"There you are!" I looked across the courtyard, towards the voice that had called out. A small boy with black hair, magenta tips, and blond bangs was running towards us. Behind him was a brown-haired girl. They were in our class, too.

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Yuge!" Joey said, grabbing onto the small boy and greeting him with a noogie.

The boy managed to free himself and looked at me. My eyes widened. He wore a buckled choker and a thin rope from which hung a pyramid-shaped pendant. The pendant bore the same Eye of Udjat that was on my bracelet. It must be one of the eight Millennium items Grandpa and Grandma had mentioned. How had I not noticed it before?

"You're our new students, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes. Tiana Briqueleur."

"And I'm her twin sister, Shawna."

"I'm Yugi Mutou."

The brown-haired girl finally reached us. She immediately turned to Joey and Tristan. "Were you guys bothering the new girls?" she demanded.

"Oh, no, not at all," I told her, shaking my head.

"But we do think they're a little weird," Sis said, jumping down from the tree, and looking as if Joey and Tristan were giving her a headache.

"Hey!" Joey said, his voice sounding hurt.

"Well, that makes three of us. I'm Téa Gardner, by the way."

"Tiana, and my twin, Shawna."

"Do you want some company?" Tristan asked.

"Sure," I said, patting the ground beside me as Sis climbed back into the tree.

We ate and talked and laughed. It surprised me how easy it was to talk with them. Like Sis and I already qualified as one of their friends, like we already belonged.

I turned to Yugi. "So, is that a Millennium Item?" I asked, nodding to his necklace.

"Huh?" He looked down. "Yeah. The Millennium Puzzle. How did you know?"

"Because of this." I removed my jacket, nodding to the Bracelet on my arm.

Yugi stared at it. "Wow."

"It's the Millennium Bracelet."

"Where'd you get it?"

"My grandparents went on vacation in Egypt and came back with this box. The lock was a puzzle. It took me a few months to solve it, but I was finally able to open the box, and this was inside."

"My story's a little similar. Grandpa went on an archaeological dig in Egypt years ago. He brought a box back with the pieces of the Puzzle inside. He gave it to me, and it took me eight years to solve it."

"Eight years?" I asked.

Yugi nodded just as a bell rang in the distance. He stood. "Let's get back to class.


	5. The Heart of the Cards

Chapter Four: The Heart of the Cards

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'. If I did…That's a completely different story.**

A few weeks had passed since I first met Yugi and his friends. Sis and I hung out with them a lot, and it was easy to be with them. They were great friends.

It was after school when the crowd gathered around Yugi's desk. I noticed Téa was among them, so I went to her side. Sis had already left, because it was her shift today at the coffee shop. The class was eagerly watching Yugi and Joey, who were in the middle of the circle, their desks pushed together. They were playing the Duel Monsters card game.

"Hey, earth to Joey! Are you in there? It's your turn!" Yugi said, almost laughing.

Tristan arrived then. What perfect timing. He went to Joey's side and grabbed his head, saying, "Aw! Isn't it cute when he's thinking?"

I stifled a laugh, but it still came out as a snicker.

Joey looked as if he was suppressing the urge to punch Tristan in the face. "Tristan, Yuge's teaching me how to play Duel Monsters." Joey showed Tristan the cards in his hand.

"Drooling Monsters?"

"No, Duel Monsters, ya nimrod," Joey replied, shoving Tristan away.

Tristan joined Téa and me. "Sheesh!"

"It's okay, Tristan," Téa told him. "They've been at this for hours. Joey's getting the hang of it, but Yugi's an expert."

"All right, Yugi. It's time to duel!" Joey said, placing a monster on the field in attack mode. It was Kagemusha of the Blue Flame, a Level 2 monster with ATK/800 and DEF/400.

I turned to Tristan and Téa, familiar with the rules of Duel Monsters. "Each monster has a set attack number and defense number. The purpose of the game is to be the first to eliminate your opponent's life points. That's how you win the game," I explained. I turned back to return my attention to the duel.

"Pretty good move, huh, Yuge?" Joey asked, sounding smug.

"Yep," Yugi said, nodding, "pretty good. But not good enough." With that, Yugi placed down Blackland Fire Dragon, a Dragon-type monster with ATK/1500 and DEF/800, in attack mode.

Joey almost fell out of his chair. "What! Thanks a lot, Yuge! That card totally wipes me out!"

Tristan laughed. "You suck at this game, Joey!"

Yugi shook his head. "No, he did fine. It's just that I have better cards. See, my grandpa owns the Game Shop, so I get all my cards from him!"

Joey jumped to his feet, knocking his chair to the floor. "Your own game shop? Why didn't ya say so? Let's go!"

Yugi laughed. "Okay. And if we're lucky, maybe I can get Grandpa to show us his super-rare card!" he exclaimed, also standing.

We grabbed our book bags and walked off campus. Yugi led the way. About a block or so later, we came across a small, colorful, two-story building. Big neon letters on the green cone-shaped roof said 'GAME'. Yugi ran to the door and opened it. A bell tinkled over our heads, announcing our presence.

"Grandpa! I'm home! And I brought my friends with me!"

"Hello," an elderly man said from behind the counter, bowing his head. He looked like a much older version of Yugi—he even had a freakishly similar hairstyle, and the same purple-colored eyes.

"Grandpa, could you show us your awesome, super-rare card?" Yugi asked as we approached the counter.

"'Rare card'? You mean my special card? Well, I don't know…" He propped his elbow up on the counter, resting his chin in his hand, deliberating.

Yugi clasped his hands together, as if in prayer, and bowed his head. "Please, please!"

"Pretty please?" Joey asked, bowing for effect.

"Please, Mutou-_san_?" I said, also bowing.

He laughed. "All right. How can I refuse?" He reached under the counter and pulled out a small wooden box. "You kids are in for a treat; I don't take this card out too often. All right, here it is."

He opened the box and pulled out a—

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" I exclaimed. "That's one of the rarest cards in the game! There's supposed to be only four in existence!"

"I see you know your Duel Monsters cards."

I ducked my head sheepishly. "Yes, I do, Mutou-_san_."

"But you're right. This card is so rare and so powerful, I never let it leave my hands." He smiled proudly while the rest of us stood there staring at it.

Tristan suddenly broke the trance, taking the card and examining it. "Doesn't look that special to me," he said.

Mutou-_san_ hastily grabbed the card back, cradling it against his chest. "She was right!" he exclaimed, gesturing towards me. "This card is priceless! There _are _only four of them in existence!"

"Yeah, and speaking of priceless, I'm ready to trade," Joey said.

"Not for this one!" Mutou-_san _insisted, looking as if he'd never let the card leave his hand ever again.

"I didn't mean that one," Joey said…maybe a little too quickly. "I meant some other cool cards to get me started."

The bell over the door tinkled as a customer walked in.

Mutou-_san _looked up. "Hello. May I help you?"

The rest of us turned to face the person that had entered.

"If you can't, it certainly wouldn't surprise me," the newcomer said.

"Seto Kaiba?" Yugi asked in disbelief.

I finally recognized him. Seto Kaiba, a student in Class 1-B, and one of the top-ranking duelists in Japan. What on earth was he doing here?

"Kaiba!" Joey's voice pulled me back to reality.

"Doesn't he have a big company to run? Why's he all the way down here?" Tristan asked, voicing my thoughts.

"Not that I think it's any of your business, but I came to see the card," Kaiba said.

Joey took a step forward. "Wait, you're into Duel Monsters? This is great! We can all duel together sometime!"

"Me? Dueling you?" Kaiba laughed mockingly. "I'd have more of a challenge playing Solitaire." He stopped in front of Joey.

"Huh?"

"I'm the number-one ranked duelist in the country, and the one most likely to win the Duel Monsters Championship. You wouldn't last two minutes in a duel against me."

Joey clenched his fists. "Ooh! I'm shakin'!" he mocked. "How about we settle this with fists instead of cards, huh?"

Yugi jumped in between Joey and Kaiba, pushing Joey back a few steps. "Take it easy, Joey!"

"But Kaiba's asking for it!" Joey growled.

Kaiba looked unfazed. "Does this shop have any worthwhile cards, or not? If not, then I'm—" Kaiba stopped short, his gaze resting on something on the counter.

I followed his gaze, and found he had seen Mutou-_san_'s Blue-Eyes, which was resting back in its box. Uh-oh.

He pushed past Joey and Yugi, his hand hovering over the box. "Can it be? A Blue-Eyes White Dragon? Here, of all places?" Kaiba continued to stare at the card, his mouth gaping slightly.

"Enough window-shopping," Mutou-_san _said, snapping the lid of the box shut. Kaiba blinked, seeming confused as to where he was. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

With a frustrated snarl, Kaiba slammed the briefcase he had carried in with him down on the counter. In one swift motion, he opened it and spun it around to face Mutou-_san_.

"Listen, old man! I'll trade you all of these if you give me your Blue-Eyes."

Mutou-_san _gasped, and the rest of us craned our necks, trying to see what was in the briefcase. A whole collection of some of the rarest cards in the Duel Monsters game stared back.

"Whoa!"

"Wow!"

"Look at those!"

"Nice…But no, thank you," Mutou-_san_ replied.

"What?"

"Seriously!"

"Really?"

Kaiba growled once, like a hungry mountain lion. "Fine. If you won't trade for it, maybe you'll sell it. I can match any price you name!"

"I have no doubt that you could, but this card means more to me than any amount you could name. Not because of its rarity or its power, but because of its meaning to me. I treasure this card, because it was given to me by a dear friend. Parting with it is completely out of the question!" Mutou-_san _finished firmly.

Kaiba looked shocked. His fists clenched and began to shake.

"You'd feel the same way if it was a common card, wouldn't you, Grandpa?" Yugi asked.

Mutou-_san _nodded. "This card has bonded with my heart."

Kaiba slammed the briefcase shut. "Fine!" he spat. "I've heard enough of this nonsense!" He picked up the briefcase and started walking towards the door. "Senile old fool!" I heard him mutter.

We turned to face Mutou-_san_. "Well, that went well, I think," he said, putting forth an effort to act as if nothing had happened. "So, you wanted some cards?"

"Yeah," Joey said. "I'm just startin', and I wanna build my deck."

Mutou-_san _nodded. "Well, I need to get the cards from the back…"

* * *

"I hope there's some cool cards today," Joey said.

It was the day after the encounter with Kaiba at the Game Shop. Yugi was leading us to the Game Shop, because Joey and I were eager to purchase a few more Duel Monsters cards.

"Yeah," we agreed.

Yugi opened the door.

"Gramps, I came back to get more cards!" Joey called. "Gramps?"

The shop was dark, the lights turned off.

"Grandpa?" Yugi called. "I'm home!"

"Maybe he went out?" Téa suggested.

"But why would he leave the door unlocked?" I pointed out. "And leave the open sign out?"

"Exactly," Joey agreed.

The phone rang and Yugi went over to answer it. "Hello? Game Shop. How can I help you?"

Tristan, Joey, Téa, and I stood by the still-open door, wondering where Mutou-_san _was.

Suddenly, Yugi gasped, "Kaiba!"

We froze as there was silence as Yugi listened to the other end of line.

"Kaiba! What have you done, Kaiba?" Yugi shouted into the phone. "Kaiba!" He slammed the phone into the receiver, and turned to us. "We have to get to KaibaCorp!"

Yugi called a taxi cab and we left our book bags at the Game Shop. The taxi drove us to the skyscraper that dominated the Domino City skyline.

"Yugi, what happened?" I asked.

"Kaiba didn't tell me, but I know that Grandpa's in trouble!"

We were out of the taxi before it pulled to a stop. We ran to the elevator, and the ride seemed to take centuries. Finally, with a ding, the elevator doors opened to reveal Mutou-_san _lying on the ground.

Yugi ran over and knelt by him. "Grandpa! Grandpa, are you all right?"

He stirred. "Yugi, I…failed," he said weakly. "I wanted to…teach that boy…a lesson…about the heart…of the cards. But…I lost." Mutou-_san _groaned.

"Grandpa!"Yugi exclaimed.

Kaiba's voice spoke. "How's the old man?"

I looked up at him, glaring. Did he enjoy the pain he had inflicted upon Mutou-_san_? He must have—his tone was so mocking, uncaring.

"Kaiba!" Joey said, taking one menacing step towards him. "What have you done to him?"

"We dueled each other, that's all. Our most valuable cards were the prize. I guess a duel against a champion like myself was too much for the old fool." Kaiba laughed.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Téa shouted, and I nodded in agreement.

"It was fair," Kaiba insisted. "And just take a look at my sweet prize." Kaiba held up the Blue-Eyes card, and, before our eyes, tore it clean in half.

We all gasped.

"Grandpa's treasured card!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Yes. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a rare and powerful card. Now this one can never be used against me."

_That jerk!_ I thought.

"My treasure! My Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Mutou-_san _said, reaching towards Kaiba, but he groaned again.

"Hang on, Grandpa!" Yugi said before looking up at Kaiba. "How could you do something like this?"

"Yugi, take these." With a shaking hand, Mutou-_san _handed Yugi his dueling deck.

"Grandpa…" Yugi sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"I built this deck, put my heart and soul into these cards. I taught you everything I know. Take these cards, and teach him some respect! Teach him about the heart of the cards!"

"But I've got to get you to a doctor!" Yugi insisted.

"Sounds like a lame excuse. Your friends can take care of your grandfather, while the two of us duel. Unless, of course, you're afraid," Kaiba mocked.

"Go ahead and take him, Yuge!" Joey said.

Yugi turned to face us.

"We'll take care of your grandpa, and you take care of Kaiba!" Joey continued. "Teach Rich Boy what a real duel's about!"

"For your grandpa, Yugi!" Téa added.

"I don't know…" Yugi said.

"Yuge, trust me. You're the best duelist I know, _and _you've got the Millennium Puzzle! You can do this!" Joey encouraged. "I know it!"

"We all believe in you!" Téa said.

Yugi nodded and turned back to Mutou-_san_. "All right, Grandpa, I'll do it."

"I know you will."

Téa pulled out a black magic marker. "Everyone put your hands together."

"What?" Tristan asked.

"Just do it," she replied.

We obeyed and the five of us put our hands in a circle. Téa began to draw on them. When she was done, pieces of a smiley face were on each of our hands.

"What gives?" Tristan asked.

Téa held up her hand. "It's a symbol of our friendship!" she announced proudly. "That way, no matter how tough things may get, we'll always know we're never alone."

Yugi nodded. "Thanks, Téa."

I felt touched. No one could be this lucky, to make such good friends in a matter of weeks.

Suddenly, there was the sound of sirens outside.

"That's an ambulance," Kaiba announced, sounding bored. "Don't take too long, Yugi." He walked away just as the elevator doors opened.

A couple of paramedics ran over and placed Mutou-_san _on a stretcher.

"I'm going to stay here and give Yugi some support," I told the others. "Go with Mutou-_san_, and stay with him."

Téa nodded. "All right, let's go."

Joey, Tristan, and Téa crowded into the elevator with the stretcher and the paramedics. The elevator doors closed as Yugi looked up at me.

"Thanks."

I shook my head. "No problem."

We approached the door that Kaiba had disappeared behind. Inside, we found a sort of stadium, and at the far end, Kaiba stood in a type of platform. A second, empty one stood about a yard away.

"Good luck," I told Yugi.

He nodded and approached the platform as Kaiba started talking.

"I designed this virtual stadium myself. Impressive, isn't it? I do believe you'll agree that it adds a bit more life to game. We'll each begin with 2000 Life Points."

The two platforms rose into the air and moved forward into the battle arena.

"Are you ready to play, runt?"

"Playtime's over, Kaiba!" Yugi shouted. The Millennium Puzzle began to glow and move on its own accord. "Yu-gi-oh!" The light engulfed Yugi, and he was still standing there when the light receded. But it wasn't Yugi—not quite, anyway. He was taller, more mature-looking, and the shape of his eyes and his hairstyle were subtly different.

'My Pharaoh…' Kurai gasped.

Kaiba obviously noticed the difference, too. "What the—?"

"Prepare yourself, Kaiba, because it's time to duel!" Yugi exclaimed, and his voice was different, too…Deeper…

A pleasant sort of burning sensation pulled my attention to my right arm. Although the jacket's sleeve obscured the Millennium Bracelet, I could tell it was emitting the same golden glow it had on the night I had put it on…

I looked from the Millennium Puzzle to my Pharaoh. "You can do it," I murmured.

"Virtual systems are a go. Let's begin," Kaiba said, putting a card down on the field. "I summon the mighty Hitotsu-Me Giant, in attack mode. Brace yourself, Yugi, for you've never dueled like this before!"

I looked to the field, and saw a life-sized version of the Hitotsu-Me Giant. A small and undignified squeak of fear escaped my mouth.

Pharaoh gasped. "He's brought the monster on the card to life!"

"Yes, thanks to my virtual technology. It can simulate life-like holograms of every Duel Monster."

"So that's how you defeated my grandpa. Well, it's my turn now! I call on the Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" He put the card on the field, and the life-sized hologram appeared.

I heard Joey's voice. "Wha? Real monsters!"

I turned. "Joey, what are you doing here?"

"Giving Yugi some support," he replied, mouth gaping as he stared up at the holographic monsters.

"Fireball Attack!" Yugi commanded his Winged Dragon.

It opened its mouth, and a fireball shot out at Kaiba's Hitotsu-Me Giant, hitting its stomach and destroying it. Kaiba lost 200 Life Points.

A black-haired boy, looking no bigger than Yugi, came running in, coming to a stop below Kaiba's platform. "Big brother! Are you okay?"

"All right, Yugi! Nice job!" Joey said, punching the air in victory. 

"Nice move, Yugi…for a beginner. But how will you fare against this?" Kaiba threw down a card, and the holographic monster appeared.

"Saggi the Dark Clown? But that card hardly has any attack strength."

"True, but if I combine it with this card…" Kaiba placed a card on the field.

"Ah! A magic card!"

"Precisely. The Negative Energy Generator multiplies my monster's attack strength by three, raising it from 600 to 1800, enough to defeat your Winged Dragon. Dark Clown, attack with Dark Light!"

An orb of pulsating, black-colored light flew at the Winged Dragon. He lost 400 Life Points.

"Combining cards is effective, don't you agree?" Kaiba asked, his tone smug and mocking.

Pharaoh didn't reply as he drew a card. His brow furrowed, and he appeared to be concentrating hard. He placed a card on the field in face-down defense position. Kaiba's Dark Clown immediately destroyed it. He continued to place cards on the field in defense position, and each and every one were sent to his Graveyard.

"Hang in there!" Joey and I called out at the same time.

"Be careful," I whispered under my breath. "You can do this."

"You're not faring any better than the old man, Yugi. Your deck is just as weak and feeble as he is!" Kaiba taunted.

"My grandpa's a great man, and a better duelist than you'll ever be! He entrusted me with is deck, and I can feel his heart in the cards. I doubt you have that kind of that faith in your cards."

"What?"

"But I believe in my grandpa's deck," Pharaoh said, drawing a card. He smiled with satisfaction. "And my faith rewards me with Gaia the Fierce Knight!" He placed it on the field. "This card has the destructive power of 2300!"

The Fierce Knight charged at Kaiba's Dark Clown, sending it the Graveyard and taking away 500 of Kaiba's Life Points.

"Whoo! Way to go, Yuge!" Joey said.

"Now, Kaiba, it's your move."

"This will be over sooner than you think, Yugi," Kaiba replied, drawing a card. "Now I call on the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"What!" I exclaimed.

"No way!" Pharaoh gasped.

"That's not possible!" Joey said. "We all saw Kaiba tear that card in half! Right?"

"Yes," I said slowly.

"Surprised?" Kaiba asked. "You honestly didn't think that your grandfather was the only one with a Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

The Blue-Eyes opened its mouth, and a jet of blue-colored light hit Pharaoh's Fierce Knight, who lost 700 Life Points.

"Your Fierce Knight is destroyed. Faith or no faith, you will fall, Yugi. Power is what this game's all about. Faith is for losers like your grandfather. There's not a single card within your deck that can stand up to a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, so what hope do you have against two? Why don't you make this easier for yourself, Yugi, and admit defeat?" Kaiba asked as he summoned his second Blue-Eyes.

"This isn't looking so good for," I said out loud.

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Joey agreed.

"I won't give up!" Pharaoh insisted. "My grandpa's counting on me! Now I activate Swords of Revealing Light, which stops all monsters on the field from attacking for three turns."

"How desperate. You're only delaying your defeat. What good will that do?"

Pharaoh looked down at the cards in his hand, silent, thinking.

"Quit stalling, Yugi, or you forfeit the duel!"

"I never forfeit, Kaiba!" He drew another card from Yugi's deck.

Kaiba smirked. "Draw any card you like, but it won't change a thing. My dragons may be frozen for the next two turns, but my new monster is not affected by your spell card! I summon Judge Man, with an attack strength of 2000."

Judge Man sent the face-down monster to the Graveyard. Pharaoh drew another card and placed it on the field.

"I summon Dark Magician. Attack!" he commanded, and Kaiba lost 300 Life Points.

"That didn't even faze me. It was a necessary sacrifice, for my dragons will be able to move in one more turn. And my next card is the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"No!" I exclaimed.

"Attack, my dragon!" Kaiba commanded. 

Dark Magician was sent to the Graveyard, and Pharaoh lost 500 Life Points. The score was now Kaiba/1000, and Yugi/400. 

"How's your faith now, Yugi? During my next turn, all three of my Blue-Eyes will be free to attack, and you'll lose! This duel's over, no matter what card you draw!"

"Don't listen to him, Yuge!" Joey encouraged.

_So Kaiba had three Blue-Eyes all along! _I thought. _He just didn't want Mutou-_san_'s to be used against him. That coward!_

Pharaoh looked at his hand while reaching out to draw a card. He paused, his hand hovering over the deck; he seemed hesitant, doubtful. He murmured to himself, and then his gaze rested on his right hand. He smiled slightly and nodded to himself.

"Draw your last pathetic card, Yugi," Kaiba said.

"My grandpa's deck has no pathetic cards, Kaiba. It has the unstoppable Exodia!"

Kaiba staggered back. "Agh! But that's impossible!"

"It is. I've assembled all five pieces of Exodia, all five pieces of the puzzle!"

A glowing green star appeared on the field, and the parts of Exodia began to come out from five of the points: the legs, the arms, and, finally, the head.

"Exodia the Forbidden One! It's not possible! No one's been able to summon him before!"

"Exodia, Obliterate!"

An orb of light formed between Exodia's hands, and all three Blue-Eyes were destroyed, and Kaiba's Life Points were depleted.

"Whoo! You did it! Yugi, you won!"

The black-haired boy that had run in earlier gasped. "But my brother never loses!"

"You only play for power, Kaiba, and that is your weakness. But if you put your heart in the game, there is nothing you can't do," Pharaoh said.

"But…how? How could I have lost to an amateur?"

"If you really want to know, Kaiba, open your mind!" A glowing Eye of Udjat appeared on his forehead as he thrust his arm in Kaiba's direction, his fingers spread out.

Kaiba sank to his knees as the platforms began to retract.

"There, Kaiba. Maybe now you will begin to see." Pharaoh stepped off the platform, approaching Joey and me.

Joey gave Yugi a victory high five. "Nice job, Yuge!"

"Well done," I praised, giving him a squeeze.

"Big brother!"

I turned to see the black-haired boy helping Kaiba to his feet.

"Come on," Yugi said, and I turned back to face him. "Let's get to the hospital and see if Grandpa's all right." He led the way out of the stadium and to the elevator.


	6. The Gauntlet is Thrown

Chapter Five: The Gauntlet is Thrown

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'. I have Duel Monsters cards, but that doesn't count. **

It was after school, and Yugi and I were out in the courtyard playing Duel Monsters. Sis, Tristan, Joey, and Téa were watching us.

"Okay…" I said slowly, looking over the cards in my hand. "I remove Mother Grizzly and Mermaid Knight from my Graveyard in order to summon Fenrir to the field."

"Nice move, but I win."

"Wait, how?"

"By summoning Battle Ox to the field."

I groaned, and then smiled. "Nice one, Yugi!"

"Thanks. Want to duel again?"

"Um…What time is it?"

"About a quarter after. Why?" Joey said.

"Agh! I'm going to be late!" I exclaimed, gathering up my cards and stuffing them into my bag. I rose to my feet, brushing off my skirt.

"Late for what?" Téa asked.

"Well, I work at a nearby coffee shop after school…"

"Ah! Cool!"

"Yeah, but I need to get going. See you tomorrow!" I waved and ran off. "See you at home, Sis! Have fun with your boyfriend!" I told her, running off.

"Boyfriend?" I heard Joey ask.

"It's none of your business!"

I entered the coffee shop and ran to the bathroom so that I could change. As I did so, I passed by Amie. "Hey, you're late!"

"I know!"

I hurriedly changed into the black skirt, shoes, and white button-up shirt I was required to wear for work. I pulled out a claw clip and put my hair up into a messy up-do. I stuffed my school uniform into my bag, knowing I'd have to wash and iron it later. I left my bag in the back, next to Amie's, and went to the counter. The door opened.

"Good afternoon," I said, turning away from the coffee machine I was at to greet the customer. It was Seto Kaiba. I squeaked and turned away from him quickly, causing Amie to give me a weird look.

Kaiba hadn't been at school since his duel with Yugi; in fact, hardly anyone had seen him since then, so, of course, it was surprising to find him there. Not to mention, I couldn't know if he would recognize me, and if he did recognize me, I couldn't know if he'd be pissed off at seeing me there.

"Take care of him, and then come get me when he's gone," I whispered to Amie, and escaped to the bathroom.

About five minutes later, Amie came to the bathroom. "He's gone. Do you mind telling me what that was all about?"

I ran a hand through my hair, laughing once nervously. "Um…Well, it's kinda hard to explain…"

"Try me."

"Okay, Well, you know how there's rumors going around that Seto Kaiba was defeated in a Duel Monsters game by a kid that's new to the game?"

Amie nodded. "Yeah?"

"Let's just say that I was there when it happened."

"You mean that the rumors are true?"

"Yeah."

"Who defeated him?"

"…A friend of mine."

Amie nodded. "Well, we should probably get back to work."

"Yeah. Sure thing."

* * *

_ She arrived at the alley she had seen in her vision, and, sure enough, the Prince was heading towards their meeting place, and he was being pursued by two hooded figures. _

_ Using the skills she had learned from her father, she trailed behind them. When they drew their knives, she jumped forward to attack them. Caught unaware, they fell to the ground, grunting in pain. She cautiously approached them, only to discover they had been knocked unconscious. _

That was too easy_, she mentally scoffed, and looked up at the Prince._

_ "How did you…?" A look of realization crossed his face. "The power of the Millennium Bracelet…"_

_ "I just knew you were in trouble," she replied, running forward to embrace him. _

_ "Because that is the power of the Bracelet. It shares a connection with the Puzzle."_

* * *

I shook my head in confusion. I had been having a weird feeling in my stomach for about five minutes straight, and no matter what I did, it wouldn't go away. I was beginning to wonder if I had eaten something funny, when the feeling disappeared.

I sighed in relief, but then I was overcome with a sudden urge to go Yugi's house. I smacked the couch cushion in frustration and stood up. I went to get my sweater and pulled on my shoes.

"Sis, tell Mom I'm going to Yugi's," I called over my shoulder.

"Okay."

I came to a stop in front of Yugi's house, panting slightly. There was a dark aura surrounding the house—a Shadow Game was in process. My breath caught in my throat. Yugi was in trouble.

I went to the front door of the Mutou house, and tested it. To my surprise, and relief, it was unlocked. I stepped inside, and shivered. It felt odd being in the presence of a Shadow Game after so long…I took off my sweater and shoes, and followed the pull of the Millennium Bracelet.

I arrived in the living room. My Pharaoh was kneeling in front of the TV, talking to the screen, upon which was Maximillian Pegasus, the creator of the Duel Monsters card game. Everyone else was frozen in time, and the aura of the Shadow Game was overpowering.

"Yugi," I said, though I longed to call him 'Pharaoh' or 'beloved' or even by his true name, announcing my presence.

Both 'Yugi' and Pegasus turned to me. 'Yugi' nodded in acknowledgement, and Pegasus seemed intrigued.

"The carrier of the Millennium Bracelet…"

I went over and knelt by Yugi's side. "What's going on?"

"A Shadow Game, to get me to go to Duelist Kingdom," he replied.

"For what?"

He shook his head; he didn't know.

"Hurry up now, Yugi-boy. The clock is still ticking for you and your friends, and it doesn't matter that we have an added member to our party."

I looked over at Pharaoh, and rested a hand on his forearm. "Don't give up."

He nodded, though he didn't seem to notice me. He reached out to draw a card from his deck, but he automatically placed it face-down on the field without even looking at it.

"I already know you plan to play Zombie Warrior, and I have already set a trap card that makes even zombies play dead," Pegasus said.

'Yugi' smirked. "Not this time, Pegasus. I've figured out your little game. You may be able to see the cards in my hand, but not the cards I pull from my deck. My next card is the Dark Magician." He flipped the card he had set down on the field so that it was right side-up.

"Ooh! I'm so scared!" Pegasus mocked.

"Mock me all you like, Pegasus, but my Dark Magician will destroy your dragon."

"Well, go right ahead, if you think it'll help."

"It'll do more than help. It will bring you closer to defeat, and me closer to saving my friends."

"If it's going to do all that, then, by all means, play it."

"Dark Magician! Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician destroyed the dragon on Pegasus's side of the field, bringing him to 1200 Life Points.

Pegasus laughed. "Nicely played, Yugi-boy, but by playing Dark Magician, you've allowed me to manipulate you once again!"

"Huh?"

"By playing your one card, you have ensured my victory."

"No."

"We shall see…" Pegasus drew a card. "Oh! A very rare card!" He turned it over so that Yugi and I could see it. "This is the Faceless Mage."

"I've never seen that card before…" 'Yugi' murmured. "However, my Dark Magician is one of the strongest magic cards in the game."

"But how will he fare when I fuse my Faceless Mage with the Eye of Illusion, another rare card?" The monster was summoned to the field.

"Dark Magician! Dark Magic Attack!"

Neither monster was affected by the attack.

"His Faceless Mage should've been destroyed…But it's still standing, and I'm running out of time…" Pharaoh glanced down at the clock, and there only five minutes remaining. He drew another card from the deck and placed it on the field. "I attack your combo with the Elf Swordsman. He will cut your Faceless Mage down to size."

"Hmm…Your Elf is mighty, but you have once again underestimated the Eye of Illusion." Pegasus laughed.

"No!"

"Dark Magic Attack!"

Pharaoh's Life Points were brought down to 400.

"But that's impossible! Faceless Mage doesn't have a Dark Magic Attack! Oh, no!" The Dark Magician appeared on Pegasus's side of the field, the Eye of Illusion glowing upon his chest.

Pegasus placed one card face-down in the Spell and Trap Card section of the field. "Well, Yugi, our time together is nearly up, and I have more Life Points than you. It appears that I am the victor." Pegasus applauded himself.

"Time's not up yet, Pegasus, and you've left your Faceless Mage open to an attack!" 'Yugi' held up a card and placed it on the field. "Summoned Skull, attack!"

Summoned Skull stopped mid-attack, and I looked down at the clock—time had run out on him.

Pegasus smiled. "Well, we've run out of time. But that was close! If you had been able to complete that attack, I would've lost! But I didn't, did I? I have measured your talents, Yugi Mutou, and when we duel again, there will be much higher stakes."

"I'm done with your games, Pegasus," Pharaoh said through clenched teeth.

Pegasus wagged a finger at him. "You presume I'm giving you a choice, Yugi-boy. But I'm not." Pegasus lifted the hair that fell over his left eye, revealing an odd golden Eye of Udjat. "For I, too, possess one of the eight Millennium Items—the Millennium Eye."

I gasped. The Millennium Eye…That's how Pegasus won, by using its powers…

"A Millennium Eye?" Pharaoh repeated. He truly remembered nothing…

"That's right, Yugi-boy. And now I'll show the true extent of its magic." A beam of light shot forth from the Eye. "Given the proper incentive, I have learned that anyone can be made to play my game."

'Yugi' and I looked at the TV screen, seeing an image of Mutou-_san_ there, trapped behind the glass. "Yugi!"

Yugi leapt forward, placing one hand on each side of the TV. "Grandpa!"

The voice of Maximillian Pegasus echoed around us. "Yes, Yugi, we will duel again. How else are you to reclaim your grandfather's soul?" He laughed.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! GRANDPA!"

The TV screen went blank, and filled with static. Tristan, Téa, and Joey came back to the present. I looked back, and noticed that Mutou-_san_ was unmoving.

"Whoa, when did you get here, Tiana?" Joey asked, surprised to see me.

"Well, it's really hard to explain…But I think we need to take care of Yugi. And someone should call an ambulance for Mutou-_san_."

I turned to Yugi and put my hands on his shoulders, gently leading him away from the TV. Tristan used the remote to turn it off, Téa went to use the phone to call the hospital, and Joey worked on transferring Mutou-_san_ onto the couch. After an awkward moment of uncertainty, I gave Yugi a comforting hug, and felt a somewhat-pleasant spark between the two of us.

I let go, and it was obvious he had felt it, too. I blushed and looked away, though at the same time, I wondered what that spark had been.


	7. Journey to the Duelist Kingdom

Chapter Six: Journey to the Duelist Kingdom

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!', only Tiana, Amie, Shawna, Yami Tiana, and the Millennium Bracelet. XD**

Grandma and Grandpa had said that there was a total of eight Millennium Items, and that each one supposedly had a special power, but they hadn't mentioned what those powers _were_. But after the encounter with Pegasus, I had to know what they were.

I turned on my laptop, and when it had woken up, I opened an Internet window. I pulled up Google, and typed 'the eight Millennium Items' into the search engine. I looked through the sites, and clicked on the one that seemed most promising.

"_There are few kept records of the eight mystical Millennium Items of Egypt. However, there is proof of their existence inscribed on the tomb walls of the Nameless Pharaoh and his Queen. They were made nearly five thousand years ago in a ceremonial process that is not known, though it is said to be very gruesome. The Millennium Items are: the Puzzle, the Eye, the Ring, the Scales, the Key, the Rod, the Necklace, and the Bracelet. Each is believed to hold a special power, though this has not yet been proven._

"_**Millennium Puzzle**__—The Puzzle is said that the owner can win any game, depending on the owner's skills and the stakes of the game._

"_**Millennium Eye**__—The Eye allows the owner to read minds and steal souls, which can only be released once the owner is defeated in a so-called Shadow Game._

"_**Millennium Ring**__—The Ring acts as a compass, leading the owner to the other Items, or to their heart's desire._

"_**Millennium Scales**__—The Scales have the same purpose as the scales in the Weighing of the Heart Ceremony, where one's sins are measured against truth._

"_**Millennium Key**__—The Key allows the owner to see one's Room of the Soul, though there is no record explaining what that is._

"_**Millennium Rod**__—The Rod allows the owner to control the minds of others._

"_**Millennium Necklace**__—The Necklace allows the owner to see the future and the past._

"_**Millennium Bracelet**__—The Bracelet protects the owner from the effects of the Eye and the Rod, and shares some sort of connection to the Puzzle, though there is no elaboration of what the connection is._

_The Puzzle belonged to the Nameless Pharaoh, the Bracelet to his Queen, and the remaining six Items belonged to the Pharaoh's High Council of Priests and Priestesses."_

"Pegasus said he has the Eye…But the only way to get Mutou-_san_ back…Yugi has to go to Duelist Kingdom," I told myself.

'You could have just asked me about the Millennium Items, you know,' Kurai said.

'Sorry.'

My cell phone rang.

I jumped in surprise, and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Tiana. I was wondering if you and Shawna wanted to hang out tonight."

"Well, actually, Amie, we were going to meet some friends from school…But I'm sure they would like to meet you."

"Great. I'll be at your house in about ten minutes."

"Alright. See you then." I hung up and began to get dressed, putting on black tights, a denim mini skirt, a black tube top, and black-and-white Converse.

The doorbell rang, and I went downstairs, grabbing my cell phone as I went. Sis opened the door and we stepped outside, joining Amie on the porch.

"So, where are we going?" Amie asked.

"We're supposed to meet our friends at a café near the museum."

"I can't wait to meet them."

I smiled at her enthusiasm. Perhaps she could lighten the somber mood we were bound to be in when we met up with the gang. We were supposed to discuss our current situation…

Sis laughed. "I'm sure you'll like them."

We walked down the street, in the direction of the Domino City Museum. I saw the others waiting outside the café already. I waved my arm above my head in greeting.

"Hey, everyone!"

When we got closer, Amie looked startled. "Yugi?" she asked.

"Amie?"

Amie squealed delightedly and ran forward to hug Yugi. Téa smiled, and Amie let go of Yugi to give her a hug, as well.

"Um…" Sis said, looking confused.

"You know each other?" I asked, finishing her thought.

"Well, I know Yugi and Téa from middle school. I ended up going to a different high school, and I haven't seen them since…But I don't know you two," Amie added, turning to Joey and Tristan.

"Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor," Joey stated, gesturing to himself, then to Tristan.

"Nice to meet you. And it's really great to see you again, Téa…Starhead." Amie winked at Yugi.

"Don't call me that!" Yugi pretended to be offended, but I could tell Amie only said it teasingly, in a loving way.

Amie laughed, ruffling his hair. "I'm kidding! Anyway, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving!"

We laughed and entered the café.

As we ate, Amie caught up with Yugi and Téa.

"So, how's Grandpa Mutou, Yugi?"

The rest of us fell silent, and she let out a sharp intake of breath. "Is something wrong?"

We then proceeded to tell Amie about Yugi's duel with Pegasus, and how Mutou-_san_ had been taken.

"I have to save my grandpa," Yugi said. "I have to go to Duelist Kingdom." He sounded so determined, it surprised me.

* * *

My cell phone rang. I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Yo, it's Tristan."

"Tristan? Not to be rude or anything, but why are you calling me?"

"We're going to Duelist Kingdom."

"Tristan, there's a slight problem with that—we weren't invited."

"That's why we're sneaking aboard?"

"Wait, run that by me again."

"We're going to sneak on board the ship that's taking the duelists to Duelist Kingdom. Téa and Amie have already agreed to go."

"But why?"

"Yugi needs some support…other than Joey."

"Wait, when was Joey invited to Duelist Kingdom?"

"He wasn't."

"Then how—? Never mind. You can count us in."

"Great. The boat leaves in an hour."

"Meet you there." I hung up and went to Sis's room.

"Yeah?"

"How do you feel about going on a little trip?"

* * *

I pulled out my cell phone and checked the time. Sis and I had been waiting for almost thirty minutes, and the others _still_ weren't there. I heard a booming voice in the distance.

"Attention, all duelists! Welcome to this event, sponsored by Industrial Illusions! You received, with your invitation, the star chips that will grant you entry into the tournament. You are all elite, invited by us after close observation of past Duel Monsters competitions. You each have a fair and equal chance of winning. It all comes down to how well you've chosen your cards and how well you play. Now, then, duelists, cross the ocean and enter the Duelist Kingdom!"

I sighed and sat down on a crate. Sis began to pace.

"They better hurry up! They'll be setting sail soon," she said.

Not long after, Téa and Tristan showed up.

"Finally!" I said, leaping to my feet.

"Shh!" the three of them shushed me.

I clasped my hand over my mouth. "Sorry!" I whispered. If anyone heard us, we'd be kicked out for sure. "Where's Amie?"

"She's not here yet?" Téa asked, and I shook my head.

Just then, Amie ran up, looking flushed.

"Sorry I'm late," she whispered.

"Okay, we're all here. Now what?" Sis asked.

"Wait for the opportune moment," Tristan replied, peeking around the crates.

"You didn't think this out, did you?" I asked him.

"Not really," he admitted.

_Boys_, I thought, shaking my head.

There was a man's voice nearby. "All right. Take her up." There was a whirring noise, and a crate was lifted into the air by a crane.

"They're distracted," Téa said. "Let's go." She started to lead the way. At least someone had a plan.

"Right," Tristan said, following.

We climbed into a crate, and squeezed inside among the supplies in it. After a few breathless moments, I could feel the crate being lifted into the air, then, after a few moments, we came down with a jolting thud. I reached out and grabbed a hold of Sis's arm.

"Ow!" she breathed.

"Sorry!" I whispered.

"Whoa!" Téa exclaimed.

"Shh!" Tristan shushed.

"Don't you shush me, Tristan!" she told him indignantly.

"Pipe down!" he said.

After a while, there was a whistle in the distance, and I knew we were setting sail. Tristan chanced to peek out of the crate, and signaled that it was safe. We climbed out onto the deck, but we remained hidden behind the crates. We could hear people talking to each other as they walked up and down the deck. All the conversations were about the upcoming Duelist Kingdom, previous tournaments, or Duel Monsters in general.

"Did you see how Weevil Underwood defeated Rex Raptor in the last tournament? I heard they're both part of this tournament."

"I have to disagree. _My _deck is the best…"

"I'm after that prize money that Pegasus is offering…"

The crowd slowly began to disperse.

"How arrogant!" I heard Téa exclaim. "There's nobody better at playing Duel Monsters than Yugi!"

"Quiet! They'll hear you!" Tristan said angrily.

"I don't care! He's still the best!"

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Some duelist claims she'll end up beating everyone else in this tournament. But I know that Yugi's the best," Téa sniffed.

I shook my head in amusement. We continued to wait, crouched behind the crates, but no one seemed to be coming out on deck. After a while, Téa stepped forward.

"Téa! Stay down or we're busted!" Tristan told her.

"But it's freezing! I can't sit still!" she replied, shivering and rubbing her arms.

He laughed. "Well, in a few hours, the sun will rise."

"Shut up!" I told him, smacking the back of his head.

"That's not funny, Tristan!" Téa said, one of her hands balling into a fist.

"I think someone's coming, you guys," Amie said, and we hid again, watching the door that led to the deck from the interior of the ship.

Sure enough, the door opened, and a white-haired person came out on deck.

"Isn't that Bakura?" Téa asked.

"You mean Ryou Bakura?" Shawna piped up.

"The British exchange student from our class?" I said.

"Why do you suppose he's here?" Téa said, coming further into the shadows.

"Uh…I guess he's in the tournament," Tristan replied, shrugging.

After a while, Bakura went back inside, and we were left doing nothing.

"Joey, don't!" It was Yugi's voice. I heard a splash before he spoke again. "Joey, where are you?"

I leapt out of our hiding spot, not thinking of the consequences if we were caught. I ran out onto the deck, in time to see Yugi leap overboard.

"Joey!"

"No!" I called, jumping forward to look over the railing. Yugi's head reappeared above the water, and he swam over to Joey, who went under. Yugi went after him, and soon resurfaced holding onto Joey.

"Yugi!" Téa called.

"Are you okay?" Tristan added as they shoved a ladder over the side of the railing.

"Grab on!" Amie called down as she and Sis held the ladder steady.

"Hurry!" Sis said.

"Guys!" Yugi smiled in relief.

"He needs help," I murmured. I started climbing down the ladder, and reached out to Joey and Yugi with one hand while holding on to the ladder with the other.

"Sis, are you crazy?"

"Come on, Yugi! Hand me Joey!" I said.

Together, we got him slung over my shoulder, and I started climbing up the ladder, Yugi at my heels. We got over the railing and collapsed on the deck, panting.

"That was close," Yugi said. "I'm sure glad you guys showed up. Really glad."

"Well, we're a team. We stick together," Téa told him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"We've always got your back," Tristan added.

"Yep," Sis and I said in unison.

"Thanks a lot, guys." Yugi smiled.

"Sorry, Yuge," Joey said sadly.

"Huh?"

"I failed. I only got two of your Exodia cards."

"It's okay, Joey," Yugi said, shaking his head slightly.

"No, it's not! It's always this way with me. I'm never able to help anybody." His head hung sadly. "Not even my sister, Serenity."

"Serenity?"

"You have a sister, Joey?"

"Our parents got divorced when we were kids. She lives far away with my mom. Serenity's had really bad eyes since she was born, and eventually, she'll go blind."

"I'm sorry," Yugi said, and I nodded.

"Thanks. Anyway, she sent me a message. She said that the doctors told her it's almost time. Soon her eyes will be impossible to repair, even with surgery. However, there's some specialists that can perform an operation _now_, before it's too late. They could save her eyesight. But I can't pay for the operation…So I have to win, for her! Gettin' to Duelist Kingdom, and winnin' that prize money is the only way I can save Serenity!"

After a few silent moments, I looked up, and noticed that the sky was lightening. We went to the bow of the ship, watching as the sun rose over the horizon.

"We'll both do our best, Joey," Yugi said. "You for your sister, and me for my grandpa."

"We'll do this together," Amie said.

"We're a team," I added, nodding.

"Look! The island!" Tristan exclaimed, nodding in the distance, where a dark shape protruded from the ocean.

"That's it! That's Duelist Kingdom! We're almost there!" Yugi said.


	8. Into the Hornet's Nest

Chapter Seven: Into the Hornet's Nest

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' There, I said it! Happy now?**

"Wow…This Duelist Kingdom looks like a pretty big place, Yuge," Joey said. "Finding your grandpa isn't gonna be easy."

"Well, we gotta start somewhere," Yugi told him.

We docked, and everyone gathered on deck.

"Hey, check out the suits," Joey said, pointing out the guards on the dock.

"Attention duelists, please disembark in an orderly fashion!"

"Uh…Téa…What if those guards down there find out we're not duelists? We'd better play it safe and swim back to Domino."

"We're in the middle of nowhere, dummy!"

"Besides, this was your idea!" Amie said, smacking him in the back of the head.

"If we just act cool, we'll be fine," Téa said.

We started down the gangplank, and Tristan was behind me.

"Just act cool…Just act cool…Cool as a cucumber…" he said under his breath.

I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, you!" one of the guards said.

We turned around, noticing Tristan had frozen where he was, his expression like a little kid that had been caught taking a cookie out of the jar without permission.

"Don't be nervous. You guys are our guests here."

"Right! I'm your guest!" Tristan said, turning to bow respectfully, before hurrying off. He stopped a little farther away, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. "I think I just had a heart attack!" he said, putting a hand over his heart.

"Yeah, way to play it cool, Tristan. That wasn't suspicious at all," Shawna said sarcastically.

"Awright! Every one of us made here safe and…" Joey started to say, but then sneezed loudly.

"You never wouldn't have caught that cold if it wasn't for Weevil," Yugi said, worried for Joey.

"What a slimeball," I muttered, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, and speaking of our wormy friend, looks like he just slithered off the boat, and is already lookin' for some trouble," Joey said, nodding towards Weevil Underwood, a few yards away. "I'd love to wipe that smirk off his face."

"Welcome all duelists!" one of the guards said, standing in front of the crowd around us. "Please follow the stairs to meet your host!" he gestured to the stone staircase leading up to the castle at the top of the island.

"That castle's gotta belong to Pegasus," Yugi said.

"Then what are ya waitin' for?" Joey asked, stepping forward.

We walked up the stairs, silence falling over us.

"Hey, what's that?" Téa suddenly asked, stopping and pointing into the forest.

"What do you see, Téa?" Yugi asked.

"It…kinda looked like Bakura."

"Bakura? From school?"

We all looked to where Téa was pointing, but there was nothing and nobody there.

"Again with this Bakura stuff?" Tristan asked.

"Where'd he see him, Téa?" Joey asked.

"That's the second time, now…But he's not there anymore…Maybe it's all in my head…" she said.

"Come on, Téa. We're on a rescue mission, remember?" Tristan said as we started walking again.

We got to the top of the stairs, finding an entire crowd of duelists waiting outside the front doors. There were some unknown duelists, but there were also some pretty famous ones, too. We could hear a lot of people whispering to each other.

"Where's Kaiba?"

"Didn't you hear? Some kid named Yugi beat him. And on his own turf, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Yugi's the kid to beat nowadays."

The rest of glanced down at Yugi, who looked quite embarrassed about the attention he was getting, even if no one was aware that he was standing there.

"Attention duelists! Gather around! Your benevolent host is anxious to greet you all!"

Pegasus arrived on the balcony. My eyes narrowed. He had to be stopped…

"Man, I would just love to get five minutes alone with that guy…" Joey said under his breath.

"Greetings, duelists! I am Maximillian Pegasus! It is my great pleasure and honor to welcome you to the Duelist Kingdom! You stand before me, the world's greatest duelists, but by the tournament's end, only one shall be crowned King of Games! I advise you all to build your decks with care, creativity, and cunning, for this tournament will test your skills like never before!

"To track your progress, you've all been given a dueling glove, and two star chips. You must wager these star chips in every duel you compete in. In order to advance to the final level, you must win ten star chips. With ten star chips, you will be admitted into my castle for a chance to duel me!

"This will be a tournament unlike anything else you have experienced! State-of-the-art dueling arenas cover this entire island, and intriguing new dueling rules are being put into effect! I could tell you what these new rules are, but what fun would that be? You must discover them as you compete, or you won't last very long.

"Remember: duel boldly, think strategically, and duel mercilessly. You have one hour to prepare, both your decks and yourselves. When the sky lights up with fireworks, the duels will begin!" As he finished his speech, he stared down directly at Yugi, who was clenching his fists.

Pegasus turned and left while cheers followed him. The crowd dispersed, and we went back down the stone steps. We wandered off, and came to a meadow dotted with wildflowers.

"Yugi, I don't know if I can win this thing. Maybe it'd be better if you take your star chip back," Joey said, holding out said star chip to Yugi.

"No, keep it. Your little sister is counting on you to win that prize money for her," Yugi insisted, pushing Joey's hand away gently.

"Thanks," Joey replied with a smile.

"You can do it," I encouraged, flopping down into the grass.

"Just steer clear of the experienced duelists first, until you get the hang of it. You know, work your way up," Shawna said, looking through her deck.

"You brought your cards?" I asked her.

"Of course. You never know when you might need your deck. Besides, I know you brought your cards, too."

I smiled, and patted the deck box clipped to my belt. "Of course I did. A good duelist is always prepared."

"Thanks, you guys," Joey told us, and turned to Yugi. "Looks like between your grandpa and my sister, we can't afford to make any mistakes."

Yugi nodded. "Right."

Explosions sounded off, and bright colors filled the air.

"The fireworks!" Amie said. "It's starting!"

"Let's do this!" Yugi said, punching the air.

We started walking across the meadow.

"So, what's your plan, Yuge?" Joey asked.

"Well, I might as well stick with Weevil. After all, we have a score to settle."

Joey laughed. "I was hopin' you'd say that."

"Hey, isn't that him?" Téa asked.

"Yeah, it is," I said.

"Weevil, I challenge you to a duel!" Yugi called.

Weevil turned and ran into the forest, his laughter floating back to us.

"I can't believe it, he's runnin' away!" Joey said.

Yugi started after him. After a brief hesitation, we followed him. After a while of running down a trail, a swarm of moths started flying around us.

"Where are all these moths coming from?" Tristan asked.

"Ugh! They're disgusting!" Téa exclaimed.

"Gosh, he's fast for a small guy!" Tristan said not long after.

"Or maybe you're just slow for a big guy!" Téa told him.

"We're never gonna catch up to him!" Sis said.

We finally reached a clearing in the forest, and saw Weevil waiting for us.

"There he is!" Joey said.

"'Welcome', said the spider to the fly. You flew right into my trap!" Weevil exclaimed.

"It's time you answered for what you did on the boat, Weevil!" Yugi said. The Millennium Puzzle glowed, and he was replaced by the spirit of the Pharaoh.

I felt Kurai shiver.

'Tiana…' she breathed.

'Of course,' I replied, and let her become the dominant spirit.

"Heh…Now, Weevil, let's find out if you're as good at dueling as you are at running away!" Pharaoh said.

"Was I merely running away, or cleverly weaving you into my web?" Weevil questioned.

"It's time to duel!" Pharaoh exclaimed.

"As you wish!" Weevil said.

The ground started shaking, and we all looked down.

"An earthquake!" Tristan said.

Weevil started laughing.

"What have you done?" Pharaoh demanded.

But his question was soon answered. The ground split in half, and a dueling arena rose up from the ground.

"It's gigantic!" Téa exclaimed.

"Man, these aren't going to be like the duels back home…" Joey said.

"You just stepped into a hornet's nest! And there's no way out!" Weevil said, sounding more than a little touched in the head.

"What is that?" Pharaoh asked.

"These giant arenas must be set up all over the island!" Joey said.

"I'll just meet you on the field!" Weevil said, almost tauntingly, and ran over to the far side of the field. He stepped onto the platform that brought him up to duel zone.

Pharaoh approached the opposite end.

"I don't like this. Weevil's a little too cocky…" Joey muttered.

"I noticed that you only have one star chip, Yugi," Weevil said. "So I guess this means I'll have the pleasure of eliminating you from the tournament!"

"Don't get your hopes up," Shawna said under her breath.

Weevil continued. "Once you're gone, everyone else's chips will be easy picking."

"Not if I take your two first," Pharaoh told him.

"What?" Weevil demanded.

"This will be an all-or-nothing match for the both of us," Pharaoh explained.

"Why should I risk both my star chips when you only have one?"

"Because I have something else you might want. My whole Duel Monsters deck!"

"Is he crazy?" Joey asked.

I stared at my Pharaoh. What was he thinking? Why was he wagering Yugi's deck? He, of all people, knew the importance of one's deck…

"So, you'd risk your grandpa's deck? Fine with me!" Weevil laughed. "Winning all your cards will be an easy way to exterminate you!"

"Exterminate!?" Téa repeated.

"Swat that little twerp like a mosquito!" Joey encouraged.

"Please be careful, Yugi!" I called out.

"Hey! It's Weevil Underwood! But who's that kid he's dueling?"

I turned and noticed three boys had come to watch the duel.

"That's Yugi Mutou, the one that beat Kaiba," Joey told them. "I happen to be his best friend, Joey Wheeler, and these are our friends, who happen to be trespassers." He added, pointing to himself, then gesturing to us.

Shawna went over to Joey and punched him while the others smacked their heads.

"I didn't think I'd see a Yugi-Weevil match until the finals!" one of the boys said in awe.

"Weevil's a regional champ! No new kid's got a chance against him," another one said, sounding quite sure Yugi would lose.

"Well, Yugi, my adoring fans are waiting, so we should begin."

"Let's duel!" the two said at the same time.

Weevil drew his first card. "Let's see how you like my Killer Needle!"

"You'll have to get through my Mammoth Graveyard, first!" 'Yugi' said, setting the card down on the field. "This massive monster will destroy your annoying insect. Attack!"

"Killer Needle, show the mammoth your stinger! Attack!"

Mammoth Graveyard was destroyed.

"But how…?" I breathed.

"No!"

"Gone after one sting? He must be allergic!" Weevil taunted. "Have you figured out why I led you to this forest area? Look around, and you will see that it is an exact replica of our surroundings! One part wasteland, and one part forest. And bugs thrive in the forest! The most powerful insects rule the forest! As long as I play my bugs on the forest part of the field, I get a power bonus!

"I guess you weren't listening when Pegasus told us that there would be surprises in store for us. Maybe if you were smart enough to steal the rule book, you'd be getting a power bonus instead of me!"

"He cheated!" Joey snarled. "He led us here so that he would have an unfair advantage!"

"Call me a cheater all you want. You're just mad that you didn't swipe the rules for yourselves!" Weevil said. "And because you didn't, little Yugi is about to get stomped!"

'Yugi' laughed.

"How can you be laughing?" Weevil demanded.

"Look at your ferocious Killer Needle now."

The Killer Needle disappeared from the field.

"My monster! What did you do to my monster?"

"Looks like my Mammoth Graveyard got a field power bonus from the wasteland part of the field, just like your Giant Needle got an bonus from the forest."

Weevil growled. "The field advantages were supposed to be mine alone!"

"I kept wondering something on our boat ride here, Weevil. Why were traveling to a remote island just to duel? But as soon I saw the holographic display grid here, it all came together. Every monster has a field it does best in, like a home field advantage. This island is special, because it contains every type of field imaginable. So, by leading us to this spot, you were clearly trying to get a home field advantage."

Weevil still looked upset about his miscalculation, but he started laughing. "You're awfully clever to put it al together like that, Yugi! But figuring it out won't be enough! There are surprises hidden under every rock, and I know them all!"

"You can beat him, Yugi!" Téa said.

"Don't let him scare ya! He's bluffin'!" Joey added.

"Don't be so sure…" I murmured.

"Oh, really? Then let's see how you handle this bluff," Weevil said. "My Hercules Beetle will find a way to crawl under your skin!"

"I play Feral Imp," Pharaoh said, setting the card down. "And then I'll play Horn of the Unicorn, so that its magic will raise my Attack Points."

"You'll have to do better than that!" Weevil said. "Hercules Beetle, attack!"

"Feral Imp, Magic Lightning Attack!"

The attack backfired, and destroyed Feral Imp.

"Yugi's attack didn't even faze that thing!" Amie said, shocked.

"Something's not right here!" Shawna said, almost indignant.

"That should have destroyed your beetle! Is this another trick, Weevil?" 'Yugi' asked.

"No. I just thought you knew that all monsters with a field power bonus were resistant to all magic attacks. And since my Hercules Beetle easily deflected your attack, it has more than enough power to wipe out your Feral Imp and eat away at your Life Points."

'Yugi's' Life Points were brought down to 1350.

"Even that four-eyed creep's weakest bugs are gonna be tough to beat with that field power bonus," Joey said.

"And not exactly like it can be turned off," Tristan added.

"Weevil's a no-good cheat!" Téa exclaimed.

"Make your move, Yugi. It's your turn!"

Pharaoh set down a card in face-down defense mode.

"So, we're defending, are we? Clever…Since I can't see your monster's defense points, I can't be sure I can beat it. But even your strongest monster can't stand against my Basic Insect. Not only does he get a power bonus, but I'm also equipping him with a Level 3 Laser Canon and a Level 2 Power Boost. Now, Yugi, for all the innocent bugs you've squashed, stomped, crushed, or fumigated, it's payback time!"

The monster that 'Yugi' had set was destroyed.

"You'll have to better than that to stand up against my bug's laser arsenal."

"Then I play this card." 'Yugi' set down another face-down monster.

"I'm going to keep you on the defensive. Attack with any card, and you'll activate this trap!" Weevil said, holding up said trap.

"Weevil's got Yugi cornered!" Tristan said.

"Yeah! Yuge can't even counterattack!" Joey added.

"As long as my trap is in play, you're powerless to make a move against me! So, does my tightening web make you squirm? Face it, Yugi, I've got you pinned down. And while you're unable to attack me, I can attack you anytime I want! Each time you cower, I create a new monster!"

The duel continued in a stalemate, neither one attacking, though Weevil kept drawing out more insects to his side of the field.

"Keep drawing Yugi, but my army of insects just keeps getting bigger!"

"Just look at Yugi! He's so confident!" Amie exclaimed.

"Yeah…When he's dueling, it's like he's a totally different guy!" Joey agreed.

I remained silent. Joey had no idea how right he was…

Weevil snickered. "Well, Yugi, it looks like I'm down to my last monster, and you know what that means. You're about to be exterminated!"

"We'll see what my cards have to say about that!" 'Yugi' countered, drawing a card. "All right, Weevil, I play Dark Magician in defense mode!"

"Excellent! I'll destroy your favorite card first! Now, my pet, power up your Laser Canon. Attack!"

Pharaoh began to laugh.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

"Weevil, you're not the only one who can set a trap."

"What!?"

"You were so busy grand standing, you paid no attention to the cards I put into play."

"B-but I thought they were all m-monster c-cards!"

"Not all of them. While you were loading the field with your bug monsters, I prepared a special surprise. Behold, the Mirror Force trap card!"

"Hold your fire!"

"Too late, Weevil. You already ordered your attack. And Mirror Force will deflect the attack right back at you."

"My Life Points are devastated!" Weevil cried out as they were brought down to 555.

"Yes," Pharaoh hissed.

_There we go. That's the strategist I remember. Excellent work, my love, _I thought as the others cheered.

"Weevil, you're a liar and a cheat. But it was your overconfidence that allowed me to get the best of you. Your insects are decimated, and your Life Points are low. And as you yourself said before, you've used up all your monsters."

"Actually, I lied about that, too."

"What?"

"I still have my most formidable creature waiting in the wings…And this unconquerable insect will swat you down once and for all!"


End file.
